Stay with me
by ApocalypticAndrea
Summary: Sakura has been in love with Sasuke for as long as she can remember but everything she has ever wanted with him is now crumbling before her eyes and it's all because he can't express his true feelings.
1. Chapter 1

I've been in love with the same guy for more than ten years, I know that sounds crazy considering my age is only 22. I met him through my best friend when I was only eight, at first it was just a small crush that lasted until I was 13 that was when I realized that I was completely, and hopelessly in love with Sasuke Uchiha. The only problem was that he was the most popular boy in the whole school, girls literally swarmed around him in the halls, at lunch and in class, he was never alone.

I tried everyday to get his attention, to get near him so I could at least say hi, I was part of his little group of friends but it was hard considering his fan club was always around, even out of school! I tried a lot, my best friend, Ino even tried to help me but every action was hopeless. But finally on graduation day I was able to get Sasuke alone, away from everyone and told him how I felt about, how I have been in love with him since the first day we met; he laughed at me, breaking my heart into a million pieces, just when I thought that all my sacrifices and actions were going down the drain, he kissed me! He actually kissed me, I was shocked and baffled. To this day he still hasn't told me why he laughed at me, he says he never will.

My life since then has only revolved around him, he never really returned most of my feelings for him; I would give and he would just take that's how it's always been. We've been together for such a long time; but it wasn't until recently I started to notice a change in him. He came home late almost everyday, boss me around and just push me away. I've talked to a few people about his behavior but they all said the same thing; _'It's Sasuke, he'll get over what ever is trouble him.' _this time I don't think he will. I started wondering things, but I think I'm just over thinking it. I started thinking that what if he was seeing someone else? Maybe he didn't feel the way I did and he's just starting to show it now.

I sighed, turning off the tv. My eyes glanced towards the clock and then back down at my phone, he should have been home two hours ago? I quickly dialed a number but was sent straight to voice mail. I called Ino to see if she had heard from him, since she is seeing his older brother, Itachi.

"No, I'll ask Itachi to call him and then I'll call you back. Don't stress over it Sakura maybe he's just really busy with work?" That could be it, and his phone just died that's why he hasn't called or answered my calls.

"Thanks for listening to my crazy talk Ino, you're the best." We hung up after our goodbyes and I waited patiently for her to call back with an answer. But that was when I heard the door creak open, I quickly made my way to the front and saw Sasuke stumble inside, dropping his coat on the floor and just walk right past me. I called out to him, following him up to our room and watched as he grabbed some clothes and pushed me out of the way to the restroom.

I ran back to the living room and rang up Ino's number. I told her that he had finally came home and how he just ignored me.

"Sakura, really if Itachi ever pulled that shit with me I would not take it one bit." I giggled slightly, thinking about Itachi's face when Ino said that. "You should get the truth out of him, or I will." I heard the shower turn off and I quickly ended my conversation with her.

"Sasuke?" I questioned, peeking my head in the restroom, he wasn't in there. I walked to our room and saw him out the window smoking a cigarette on the roof. "You're going to get sick if you stay out here." I told him but there was no reply. "Sasuke, can you talk to me? I hate that you've been ignoring me."

"Then do something about it." He's words came out harsh, like poison in my veins.

"What the hell is your problem?" I demanded, surprising myself with my own tone of voice. I saw him smirk and take out the cigarette from his mouth.

"Since when did you grow a pair?"

"Since you've become a completely asshole with me. Not spit it out, what is going on in that head of yours?" He climbed back through the window, walking past me again.

"I'm tired."

"You're always tired."

"No, I'm tired of you always around." He laughed, the same laugh from the day I told him how I felt about him. "I've always felt pity for you, I just didn't think that I'd stick around you for this long." Bullshit, all the words in the sentence were utter bullshit. "Maybe I did have feelings for you, feelings of embarrassment and pity. I'm surprise it took you this long to figure out through, I always thought you were smarter then that."

"Stop lying!" Tears streamed down my face, from anger mostly. "You can't tell me you never had romantic feelings for me, that's why you stayed with me for so long. You do care about me, you just won't admit it."

"Sakura, why do you think I laughed when you confessed your feelings for me? I felt bad for you, you were so hung up on me it was sad. I knew you were never going to get over me unless I went out for you and if I didn't you were probably have just ruined your life." I clenched my fist tightly, this wasn't true, not of this is. "I only tried to help you, slowly get over me. But it was like you just got closer to me everyday, it got to the point to where I stop trying completely." I turned my back to him and made my way to the front door, leaving everything behind me.

They say that time heals wounds, if that's true then I need a hundred years to fix my pain. I had no idea where I was going, I ended up at Ino's house, in the middle of the night and she wasn't very happy to see me crying on her lap.

"Those Uchiha boys are a huge pain in my ass!" Itachi made a noise from his throat that brought Ino to his attention. "Don't look at me like that, you know it's true." He shook his head, and walked into the kitchen. "Sakura, don't go back to him. If he's going to be a complete asshole like that, then you don't need him." She carefully rubbed the back of my head and smiled. "Besides, Itachi has a friend who I know would be great for you. He doesn't talk much though, but he's pretty cute."

"Thanks Ino but I don't think I'm ready for that." I sighed, resting my elbow on my leg and my chin in the palm of my hand.

"Of course you're not, I'm just saying that you should meet him." I nodded my head, just to get Ino off my case. "Great, now come on, lets go to bed? Like when we were in high school. Itachi wouldn't mind sleeping in the other room for the night!" She pulled me and I saw Itachi stick his head out of the kitchen and sigh, Ino bossed him around so much; but I knew he actually cared about her, not like his brother who only cares about himself.

"Sorry I stole Ino away from you last night Itachi," I walked into the kitchen to find him slaving away on the stove. "She's a hand full, she kept smoldering me last night with her cuddling." I said in a yawn, I had to admit it did feel good though, Sasuke never held me while we slept.

"She's like that with me when she wants to be held."

"She's like a cat then?" I laugh awkwardly. I never really had a conversation with Itachi before, just hi and bye or just ask him a question; but he wasn't as I thought he was going to be. He was very welcoming and comfortable to be around, Ino was one lucky girl.

I let out a small whimper without noticing, seeing Itachi made me think of Sasuke. The dream I had last night, well it was more like a nightmare. Everything came back to me in the dream, our whole relationship was summed up in my dream.

"You know Sakura." Itachi placed down a plate of food in front of me. "I'm no where like my foolish little brother." Ino walked in to the kitchen, the tips of her hair sprinkled down water to the floor as she walked over to Itachi, kissing him gently on the cheek. He paid her no mind until she sat down and he placed a place down next to her. "Good morning Ino." She smile happily and then sighed dreamily at him. "He's young and stupid." Itachi continued with our conversation. "He's never been in love before, so he doesn't understand how it feels."

"It scares him to think about it Sakura." Ino chimed in, taking a bite from her food. "To think about losing the one person he cared deeply about in just one mistake. He's foolish like Itachi says, foolish people like him don't understand love and never will." The words Ino was saying were true, but it made me realize how foolish I was as well. "He's born to be alone."

"But that can change!" Ino blinked at me and nodded her head.

"Of course, if they truly want to though; but it's Sasuke you're talking about. He's stubborn, doesn't listen to reason from anyone." Itachi finally sat down with us. "Sakura honestly,"

"You don't need his ass anymore!" Ino finished Itachi's sentence, slamming her fist on the table.  
"Yes, what Ino said. Listen to her, she's your best friend, right?" I nodded with a slight smile. "She wants the best for you."

"Oh, Itachi!" Ino squealed like a little girl, hiding her blushing face in her hands. I started feeling really jealous of them, they didn't look like they were be a loving happy couple but they were, they just kept to themselves.

A knock on the door disturbed our conversations, my heart started to pound in my chest and I held on tight to Ino's hand under the table. Her blue eyes gave me a worried look and then shot over to Itachi, he nodded his head slightly.

"Ino,"

"I doubt it's him Sakura." She reassured me. Itachi walked in a few seconds later, followed by two of his friends. I was a bit reviled but disappointed at the same time; I wanted it to be Sasuke just so Itachi would force him to sit down and Ino would interrogate him until he spit out the real reason he just dumped me.

I broke away from my thoughts when I noticed one of Itachi's friends was looking over at me from the corner of his eye. I smiled kindly towards him so I didn't seem rude. "Sakura, these are Itachi's friends; Deidara and Sasori." Ino leaned in closer to me, speaking in a small whisper. "Sasori is the guy I was talking about yesterday, cute right?" My eye's shifted back to the redhead who was looking at me when he walked in; he was really cute. "Ah, well _we_ girls are gonna let you have guy time with your friends." Ino gently gave Itachi a kiss on his cheek followed by a whisper in his ear that made a light blush appear on his face. She quickly grabbed my wrist and pulled me away with her to another room. I couldn't help but to look back once more at the handsome redhead who watched as Ino and I made a escape.

"So what do you think?" Ino pushed me into her room, slammed her door and immediately started bombarding me with questions of the redhead. "Do you see yourself with him? Or in his pants?" Oh god, I groan mentally and gave her a light punch to her arm while she laughed. "Seriously though Sakura," I sighed already knowing what Ino was going to say to me. "I'm not going to push something on you that you don't want. I'll let time settle things for you before I try anything." I was taken back with Ino's sudden change in mood but was happy with her words.

"Thanks Ino." She gave me a sincer smile and patted me on my knee.

"Now get dressed, you can wear my clothes for now."

"Where are we going?" I asked while she looked through her closet.

"I'm going to take you to Hinata." I raised my eyebrow at her. Why Hinata, what was she going to do? "I'm going somewhere with Itachi, to settle someone straight." I saw an evil gleam in her eyes, Itachi and her were going to talk to Sasuke. I shook my head with disappointment and sighed, all I had to do know was play the waiting game and see if they could actually get through to him.


	2. Chapter 2

I woke up the next morning from the sound of Ino yelling at someone? I imagined it was just probably Itachi but since when did she ever yell at him and liked that? I slowly stood up from my bed and walked towards the door, opening it just a crack.

"Oh and you think you're Mr. fucking perfect? Well let me tell you one thing, _you're not_ and you never will be because you're an arrogant asshole that only cares for himself." Ino hissed, the words spatting out like venom. I let out a heavy sigh, she was yelling at Sasuke, those were the only words the blonde would use to describe him. My chest tightened and I could feel my heart strings busting with every second knowing _he_ was just a few feet away from me. It had been a few months since everything happened and I still couldn't sleep at night without crying. "She fucking cared for you and look how you repaid her, I swear if Itachi wasn't holding me back-"

"Ino, that's enough." Itachi's voice overpowered hers and there was silence.

"Thanks for finally shutting her up." Sasuke's voice sent a jolt through my body, I felt dizzy and leaned against the wall, he, he didn't sound the same. His voice was filled with hate and sadness, I wanted to run out there and slap him, give him a piece of my mind and then have Ino throw him out the door but I couldn't even find the strength to move anymore. "Tsk, annoying girl." He spoke again and I couldn't feel the glare Ino was giving him.

"Why are you here?" Ino whispered menacingly.

"I'm here to talk to Sakura." I gasped, he wanted to speak to me? I looked down at my attire, I had been sleeping in a pair on Itachi's old pajamas, I couldn't let Sasuke see me like this!

"Like hell you are!" I stopped getting dressed hearing Ino's frightening yell echo throughout the house. "I told you yesterday to stay away from her. You didn't see the state _YOU_ put her in, and it killed me to see her like that and I don't want to ever see her like that again." I continued dressing while listening closely. "Especially not because of you again, do you understand that? Not leave my house, now." Ino's last words caused me to run out of the room.

I couldn't think when I saw Sasuke standing there, his arms crossed on his chest with that amusing smirk on his lips. So speechless and scared I stood there fighting myself to say anything to him. This whole time I thought I had figured out everything I was going to say to him when we met again but now all those words were lost on my tongue.

"Sakura," Ino spoke, her tone light. I just looked at her, my eyes wide with tears streaming down my cheeks. Her face made me feel even worse about the whole situation, this was what she was trying to keep me from, she knew how I would react to seeing Sasuke so suddenly; that's why she was my best friend, she knew everything about me, how I thought and felt.

"Sakura," Sasuke's voice crashed on me like a weight. I slowly turned to him with my eyes averted to the ground, how could I look him in the eyes? If I didn't I might have broken down. "Can we go somewhere quiet to talk?" His tone didn't change from when he spoke to Ino, it was still harsh and full of hate.

Before I could answer him the door opened, and Itachi's two friends from before walked in, confused with the scene before them. Itachi was still holding Ino back when she broke free and stood besides me, placing a hand on my shoulder. When I saw her face, I had made my decision.

"No," I spoke, still avoiding Sasuke's eyes. "You need to leave." He didn't budge and it took everything I had to speak to him.

"I need to talk to you." He took a step closer and Ino stepped in between us. "Sakura, come on, stop being like this."

"She asked you the leave." I stared in shock at the red head that walked through the door. He had a serious look on his face while Sasuke just laughed.

"This doesn't deal with any of you, now leave us alone." Sasuke pushed Ino away and cupped my chin. I didn't know how to react with everything that was going on, I felt my eyes start to tear up and my heart was beating out of my chest and everything was hazy.

"Get away from her you brat." Ino slapped his hand away. "And get out of my house."

"You're an annoying _bitch, _as always." Sasuke's words spat out and it probably effect me more than it did to Ino. "I don't understand why my brother even bothers with you anymore." I could see the uneasy expression on Itachi's face, he didn't know how to react to any of this either. I knew he wanted to defend Ino but it was Sasuke we were dealing with Ino and I both know Itachi would pick Sasuke over anything but all of this was something different.

I turned back to Sasuke and I saw Ino's fist punched his face, sending to the ground groaning in pain. I gasped in shock and out of instinct ran to Sasuke's side to check if he was okay, only to be pulled away by Sasori. I turned to him and realized what I had did and relaxed. His hand griping firmly but gently on my arm made me feel a little relaxed. I felt lost as I stared down at Itachi helping Sasuke up from the ground and Ino yelling at him now to. Everything had happened too fast for me and when my eyes met those dark orbs I was so used to looking at everyday, I ran.

I turned away and jerked my arm out of Sasori's grip and ran out the door. I could hear Ino yelling back at me, I didn't know if I wanted them to follow me, I didn't know if I wanted to be alone, for the first time in a long time I felt hopeless and didn't know what to do. I had always stuck at Sasuke's side when we were younger, he was the person I ran too when I needed help but now, now there was nothing.

And Ino had just punched the guy I love because he called her a bitch, I couldn't talk to her either. She would just tell me how stupid I was for still even caring about Sasuke.

I just wanted someone to tell me something I wanted to hear but the truth was, I wanted to hear that he needs me, wanted me, loves me. I wanted to hear all of that, not the opposite.

I kept running until my legs screamed to give up, but I didn't want too. I found myself at an old park and sat down behind a bush. I brought my knees close to my chest and burred my head in them. What was I going to do?

I spent a few hours in silence before I heard quiet footsteps walking towards my direction. I peaked my head over the bush but quickly went back down seeing Sasori walking around.

"I saw you." He stated, his sudden words scaring me. "I saw that pink hair from a mile away." He joked but I didn't hear a laugh come from his mouth. "I saw you almost an hour ago." I peaked again and saw him now sitting down on a bench near me.

"If that's so, why didn't you bother me then?" I could hear the attitude in my own voice.

"You needed time to yourself, but I got bored." My eyes narrowed. "Ino begged me to look for you after Itachi took his brother away." He stood up and walked towards me and leaned over the bush. "That Sasuke guy is pretty crazy huh?" He muttered a sorry after I shot him a look, displeased I stood up and placed a hand on my hip.

"I wish I knew what was going through his head." I sighed. Even after the few hours I had to myself, I still didn't know what to do. I love Sasuke and I knew somewhere deep down he loves me just as much, like when we were younger, what was so different now?

"You know people get tired of the same thing, maybe he just needs his time away?" Sasori's bluntness didn't help. "You should do the same thing." He gave me a smirk and I blushed knowing what he was getting at. "Maybe if he sees you with someone else he'll change his mind?"

"Someone else? Sasuke won't believe it, he knows I'm madly in love with him."

"Not if he sees it a lot." My heart skipped a beat as Sasori walked and stood in front of me. His hand gentle placed on my cheek and the touched my hair. His smiled appeared when I felt the blush on my face deepen. I was mesmerized by his big chocolate colored eyes, I couldn't look away and he didn't break eye contact with me neither. "I'd be glad to help you, but I wouldn't want to see you go back to that guy." When he pulled away it felt like he took my heart with him. "I would want you all to myself, do you realize how beautiful you are?"

"Stop talking like that!" I retorted with the blush still burning on my cheeks. "I'm in love with Sasuke." I told him looking away from his eyes, I felt hurt telling him that. Why did he make me feel like this? I know nothing about him but I feel like I've known him for so long.

"Are you really? Or is your love for him shallow?" He touched my hair again with a soft glare on his face. "Love is a strange thing, it can change in an instant."

"Stop it," I pushed him away with a few tears dripping down my face. "I can't hear this right now." I cried out. I was hurting on the inside because I knew what he said was the truth but I did love Sasuke, I knew that much and even if his loved changed for me it can change back in an instant.

"What happened with you too?" My heart stopped for a split second. "There's something else to this isn't there?" He pulled me into the trees and turned me around.

"W-what are you doing? Hey, stop that!" I protested as he quickly tore up my shirt and then fell to the ground crying. Crying not because of Sasori but because of what I had been hiding from everyone, my back was bruised an ugly purple brown, there was a few cuts here and there but it was nothing to serious, at least not for me. "Stop looking!" I quickly stood up and pushed him away from me.

"When did he do that to you?" I shook my head not wanting to answer his question. "Sakura, answer me." He spat out with an anger filled voice and eyes. I didn't want to answer he didn't need to know the answer. "If you don't tell me, I'll call Ino right now and tell her."

"No! She'll go crazy, please don't tell her!"

"Then tell me Sakura," I flinched when he said my name with such hate.

"I saw him a few weeks ago while without Ino knowing! Please don't tell her, she'll be so disappointed in me." I cried harder and fell onto him, gripping his shirt and staining it with my tears. "I didn't know what to do, I didn't want anyone to know. He didn't mean to, he was drunk and angry at-"

"At you?"

"No, at other things. I'm telling you the truth he didn't mean it. That's probably why he showed up today, to talk about that!"

"I can't believe that Sakura," I looked up at him, my eyes wide in shock and filled with tears.

"You don't know him and you don't know me! I wouldn't like about this." I punched his chest accidentally and he grunted in pain. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that!" I cried out again and pulled myself away from him. "Sasuke has never landed a wrong hand on me before, he's not like that." I whimpered out.

"Then why would he do it now?"

"Because he was drunk out of his mind, that's why." With every word I scream at Sasori the tears just came out harder.

"No," He pulled me by my wrist and hugged me. I was hysterical but when my body touched his and his body heat rubbed off on me and the smell of him, calmed me down. I let out small whimpers and cries, but he never loosened his hold on me, he protected me form everything around us. "I don't like him if he puts you in this much pain."

"You don't know him."

"I don't need to, and I don't need to know you to tell you that I care about you."

My cries soon faded away and I walked with Sasori back to Ino's place. He still wanted me to tell her about the bruises but I just couldn't. Ino is like a very over protective sister to me, if she ever found out about that she would kill Sasuke literally and then never talk to me again because I let this happen. We were silent while we walked and it pleased me, his company was all that mattered to me at this moment.

We stopped outside of Ino's door and he turned to me, his soft expression sent butterflies into my stomach and made my heart flutter.

"I'm going to come back tomorrow," He leaned down and kissed my forehead gently. "Be ready by 2, okay?" I nodded my head with a blush on my cheeks. I watched him walk away until the door was yanked opened and Ino ran out to me, making us both fall to the floor, I let out a loud groan of pain when my back hit the floor.

"Sakura, where did you run off too? I was so fucking worried about, please don't ever run off like that again, I thought I was going to have a heart attack!" She hugged my tighter, sending a pain down my back.

"I'm fine Ino, Sasori found me and we talked for awhile and he walked me back." I reassured her with a smile. I swore to her I won't run away like that, but I felt horrible see her relieved expression and when she said she was glad I was okay but I wasn't, I was hiding something from her that I knew would hurt her as much as it hurt me.


End file.
